Riceball anyone? Part I
by Kajitsu
Summary: Tohru is the new transfer of Kaibara High and she is currently staying with the Sohma family! What kind of future awaits her? Is this a blessing or a disaster?
1. Default Chapter

Default Chapter  
  
This is an edited version of the anime Fruits Basket. Mainly, it would be about Tohru as she is one of my favourite characters. So I just hope you would enjoy and I would be adding more as soon as possible. Hope you enjoy the stories and add reviews to my stories to suggest about ways to improve the story. Thanks!!!  
  
Disclaimer: *I DO NOT own Fruits Basket!!!* 


	2. Chapter 1: The New Transfer Student

Chapter 1: The New Transfer Student  
  
As Yuki and Kyo stepped into their class, they spotted a seat at the right corner being crowded.  
  
"What's the big fuss?" Kyo grumbled as he shoved away two boys among the crowd to get a closer look.  
  
"It's a new girl. She transferred from one of the top girls' school in Tokyo. She was invited here because of her excellent results in acedemic work." explained Uo as she stared at the transfer student with her arms akimbo.  
  
"So that was what all this reckess was about? Sheesh! I thought an actor was here..." Kyo walked towards his seat in disappointment.  
  
"Back to your seats class." The voice of their form teacher boomed as he entered the classroom. "I'm sure you have already known that there is a new girl who has just transferred from Kawaii Girls' High School and will be permanently joining our school for her years of high school. Tohru Honda, would you mind stepping out in front and give us all an introduction about yourself?"  
  
"I would be glad to." Tohru answered politely as she gently got out from her seat.  
  
After her self-introduction session, the chaos in the class died down and they continued with their lessons like normal. During recess, Yuki walked towards Tohru's desk while she was packing her books.  
  
"Welcome to Kaibara High School, Honda-san. As the vice president of the prefect counselor of this school, I have the responsibility to make sure you are comfortable with the environment and I would like to run through the school rules with you. Firstly, I am Yuki Sohma and it is a great pleasure to have you in our school." Yuki said as he bowed to her.  
  
"Thank you for offering to help me Sohma-san. You are the first person who I have a good impression of ever since I stepped in this morning." Tohru said, revealing her heart warming smile.  
  
"First of all Honda-san, your attire is improper. You are required to wear your tie at all times instead of once a week like your previous school does. Even though there are no restrictions to hair accessories, you are not allowed to have your hair dyed. For the rest of the rules, would you mind staying back for half an hour while I brief them to you?" Yuki spoke in a serious tone.  
  
Tohru nodded her head enthusiastically as she did not want to break any of the school rules so that she could graduate from high school and do her late mother proud.  
  
Finally the bell rang and school was over. The class dashed out within a minute's time. Tohru stared at the rowdy behaviour of her new classmates with her mouth agape. Then, she caught Yuki walking towards her at the corner of her eye.  
  
"Are you ready, Honda-san?"  
  
"Yes, Sohma-san. I'm ready."  
  
An hour passed very quickly and within this period of time, Tohru had already used up a quarter stack of her paper for copying the school rules.  
  
"Bye, and thanks for the help again Sohma-san." Tohru waved as she greeted Yuki goodbye.  
  
"I'm so beat..." Tohru thought, as she dragged her feet back to her home. "There is no night shift today so I guess I am going straight home."  
  
"A shortcut through the forest?" Tohru said to herself, astonished. "I've never been in there before...I wonder if it would be faster to reach my home from here."  
  
After ten minutes in the forest, Tohru suddenly realise that she was lost.  
  
"Oh no...Everywhere looks the same. It's all trees. How am I to know where I came in from? I should'nt have came in in the first place...How am I to return home at this rate?" these thoughts invaded Tohru's mind as she started walking in circles with her eyes fixed to the grass below her.  
  
"You need any help, miss?" A familiar voice alerted Tohru.  
  
As she turned around, she saw her classmate, Yuki.  
  
"Thank goodness you are here. I'm lost...I wandered into this forest thinking that it was a shortcut to my home. Would you please tell me the way out?" Tohru begged with doleful eyes.  
  
"How cute." Yuki thought as he blushed.  
  
He nodded his head after a moment but then realised that this whole vicinity was the Sohma's property and there was no possibility that someone was living here other than him and his cousin. Shigure.  
  
"You mean you live around here?" Yuki asked with curiousity.  
  
Tohru nodded immediately as she had no doubt about it.  
  
"But this whole area is in the Sohma's property. I reckon that there is no one else living here other than a few of the Sohmas..." Yuki said as his voice faded.  
  
"I'm so sorry...but I'm living alone...in a tent. Please let me continue living here. I did not want to depend on my other side of the family after my mother died so I..."  
  
"You can continue living there if you want."  
  
Before Tohru even finish speaking, Yuki added abruptly as he saw that Tohru was on the verge of crying.  
  
"Here, follow me and you will be out in no time. I've been in here many times as this is a shortcut to my house at least..." 


	3. Chapter 2: Tohru Moves Into The Sohma's

Chapter 2: Tohru Moves Into The Sohma's  
  
"There you go! We're out." Yuki exclaimed, showing a tinge of satisfaction.  
  
"Thank you so much Sohma-san." Tohru bowed with her hot tears rolling down her cheeks.  
  
Tohru asked Yuki over to her house as after all, she was living within their property. He gladly followed her towards the brightly coloured yellow tent.  
  
"You actually live here?" Yuki gushed with astonishment.  
  
"Frankly speaking, yes. I do live here. Even though it is a little small and cramped, at least there is still a shelter above me." Tohru answered, bowing her head low.  
  
"Want to go over to my house for tea?" Yuki suggested.  
  
Tohru nodded immediately as she felt that Yuki might not feel comfortable standing outside her tent. So, Yuki and Tohru strolled through the forest towards Yuki's house.  
  
"Here it is." Yuki said.  
  
"It looks awfully cosy. It gives me a sense of security here." Tohru said, upon seeing Yuki's home.  
  
"I see you've brought a guest home, Yuki. And it is a girl." Shigure mocked as Yuki and Tohru entered through the main door.  
  
"Stop it Shigure. It isn't funny. Moreover, Honda-san is a decent girl." Yuki retorted. Honda-san, this is Shigure Sohma, my cousin."  
  
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Shigure. I am Tohru Honda." Tohru immediately said as she bowed at Shigure.  
  
"Oh! So you are the new transfer student Kyo was talking about when he got home." Shigure said as his face lit up brightly.  
  
The three of them were in the midst of chatting about Tohru's history when Shigure suddenly sensed something unpleasant.  
  
"Earthquake. There is going to be a mild earthquake somewhere along the west of the forest." He explained.  
  
Tohru and Yuki looked at each other as though they thought of something.  
  
"MY TENT! MY MOTHER'S PICTURE! MY HOME!" Tohru screamed her lungs out.  
  
Without any further hesitation, Tohru dashed out of the Sohma's house and ran through the forest towards her tent, only to see the dreadful sight of her tent being smashed under loose soil that has just been eroded. Yuki and Shigure followed behind her and they too, felt dismayed about this. They were shocked when they saw Tohru struggling to dig her belongings out. Shigure darted home to grab a shovel and handed it to Tohru. Yuki joined in with her and they both started delving into the mud.  
  
"Finally!" Tohru exclaimed as she found her mother's picture. "Mother, I'm so sorry I was not quick enough to save you from the moments of sufferings under the soil."  
  
Seeing Tohru's tears start trickling down her cheeks, Shigure couldn't help but give a comment that the scene was truly dramatic. Yuki instantly shoved his elbow into Shigure's arm as a form of asking him to keep his mouth shut.  
  
"Honda-san, what are your plans now?" Shigure asked politely, as they were on their way back to the Sohma's residence.  
  
"I...I don't know..." Tohru said solemnly.  
  
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After a moment of thought at their dinner table, Yuki suddenly had an idea.  
  
"Why not let Honda-san live with us? We have an empty room upstairs anyway."  
  
"What?!" Shigure and Tohru said simultaneously.  
  
Immediately, Shigure dragged Yuki to the kitchen and told him it would not be convenient for a girl to be living with them, especially when they will transform into their zodiac form when they are hugged by the opposite gender.  
  
"Don't be such a paranoid. I don't think Tohru is so indecent in any case. As long as we be careful, everything is going to be okay." Yuki said persuasively.  
  
"Well, okay...if you say so. But I'm not going to be responsible for this." Shigure said under his breadth.  
  
"Okay Honda-san. You may live here." Yuki said with a warm smile on his face.  
  
"Don't worry. I won't be a free loader. I will pay the rental every month plus I will help out with the chores if you don't mind." Tohru exclaimed excitedly.  
  
"There is no need for the rental fees. You may live here by just doing the chores for us. Would that be fine with you?" Shigure questioned.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Shigure" Tohru answered.  
  
Within two hours time, Shigure and Yuki helped Tohru settle down in her room. 


	4. Chapter 3: Kyo's Reaction

Chapter 3: Kyo's Reaction  
  
"WHAT?!" Kyo howled as Shigure and Yuki told him about Tohru will be living with them. "It is bad enough that we transform into our zodiac form when being hugged by the opposite gender, now you are inviting our opposite gender to live with us? Are you seeking death?"  
  
"There, there Kyo. There is nothing to worry about. Yuki has it all under control. As long as we be careful, we won't be hugged by her. Further more, Tohru's a decent girl and she needs our help. I'm sure you are not so heartless as to make her homeless are you Kyo?" Shigure said in a mushy voice.  
  
"Alright, alright! You win Shigure..." Kyo said, as he diverted his attention to Tohru, who was entering the room.  
  
"Hey! You there! If you are living in our house, you must abide by my rules. Never touch the things in my room. I can clean my room perfectly fine and you do not have to interfere, you get me?" Kyo said as he walked into the kitchen for another glass of milk.  
  
Tohru nodded while she continued with her chores.  
  
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"Come on Kyo! We're going to be late!" Yuki's voice echoed throughout the whole house.  
  
"Okay, okay! I'm coming." Kyo replied with a sense of dissatisfaction.  
  
"Good morning, Kyo." Tohru greeted as she saw Kyo dashing down the stairs.  
  
However, Kyo just wore his shoes and walked away.  
  
"Sohma-san does not really like the idea of my staying here, is he?" Tohru asked Yuki with a slight tremble in her voice.  
  
"Don't be silly. He is just not used to having a girl living with us, that's all. After all, he doesn't know how to express himself well too." Yuki comforted Tohru.  
  
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"You two go ahead home without me. I still have a prefect meeting after this." Yuki said as the school bell rang.  
  
"Whatever!" Kyo said curtly.  
  
On their way home, there was a deep silence between them and the atmosphere was tense and suffocating. Kyo was thinking about what he said to Tohru the evening before and he was starting to feel guilty about it.  
  
"Umm..Honda-san, I'm...I'm...s...sorry for howling at you yesterday...It's just that I can't control my temper..." Kyo finally said.  
  
"I understand." Tohru said with her eyes shimmering in the afternoon sun.  
  
"Welcome back, Kyo and Honda-san." Shigure said with excitement as he flaunts his new work piece to them.  
  
Tohru gazed with great interest at the stories Shigure wrote while Kyo just walked away.  
  
"That Kyo..why does he always have to act so cool?" Shigure mumbled to himself, shaking his head.  
  
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"Bye, Mr. Shigure, bye Sohma-san. I'll be back by eight" Tohru said as she left the house to work.  
  
"Hmm...there are some perverts hanging around this area recently...she'll be back by eight...wonder if she's going to be alright?" Shigure said to Kyo as he was lying down on Shigure's floor.  
  
"Shigure...Why am I always so bad-tempered? I can't say anything good in front of her. I'm just not the kind that gets along well with others." Kyo said as he gave a big sigh.  
  
"Her? You mean Honda-san? Well, you will just have to learn how to curb your temper. Take this as a challenge. Frankly speaking, I think your temper is scaring her out of her wits recently." Shigure replied. "Why not you go pick her up from work today? I'm sure she'll have a better impression of you if she know that you are trying to protect her."  
  
"Well, I hope that helps. I don't want to be labeled a bad egg after knowing a person for only a week." Kyo said sarcastically.  
  
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"Sohma-san?" Tohru said with amusement as she saw him waiting outside the forest.  
  
"Shigure told me that there are perverts hanging around here lately so I just wanted to make sure you are safe." Kyo said, feeling totally absurd inside him.  
  
"Thank you, Sohma-san" Tohru said as she felt her tears uncontrollably rolling down.  
  
"Why are you crying?" Kyo said frantically.  
  
"I just feel so fortunate to have a friend like you, Sohma-san." Tohru replied.  
  
"You still don't have the need to cry..."Kyo said with his face blushing. 


	5. Chapter 4: The Sohma's Secret

Chapter 4: The Sohmas' Secret  
  
Tohru woke up only at nine in the morning since it was a Saturday and they did not have to go to school.  
  
"Sohma-san?" Tohru exclaimed as she saw Kyo practicing his martial arts in the backyard where she was about to dry her laundry.  
  
"Morning, Honda-san" Yuki interrupted as he walked over to Kyo. "Let's spar, Kyo."  
  
"Fine with me." Kyo said.  
  
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Tohru continued with her laundry as the boys sparred. Suddenly, she heard a big clash and the next thing she saw was that both of them were covered with bruises. Apparently, they had thrown each other onto the ground, causing the loud clashes, and the fight was getting out of hand.  
  
"Stop it, you two." Tohru screamed as she darted towards them.  
  
Suddenly, Tohru tripped on a stone on the floor while she was getting close to them. She fell on the both of them who were fighting on the ground where Yuki was pinning Kyo down.  
  
"POOF!" Tohru heard.  
  
"Huh?" She screamed with a wave of anxiety inside her as she saw Yuki and Kyo had transformed into a rat and a cat.  
  
"Now look what you've done!" Yuki said, darting a merciless look at Kyo.  
  
"What? You were the one who made me spar with you, you damn rat!" Kyo retorted.  
  
"Well, I guess this is no time to argue. We'll just have to explain it to Honda-san." Yuki said, sighing hard. "Honda-san, you see, some of us Sohmas have been cursed for generations by the twelve Chinese zodiac animals and we transform into them when being hugged by the opposite gender."  
  
"Huh?" Tohru answered with her mouth agape.  
  
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Then, Kyo, Yuki and Tohru went back into the house in deep silence.  
  
Yuki explained to Tohru in detail to about their curse, which makes them turn into their zodiac form when they are being hugged by the opposite sex. Yuki also explained that Shigure is also part of the cursed Sohmas and his zodiac form is the dog.  
  
"I think I had better report this to Akito as this is no small matter." Shigure said in a serious tone.  
  
"Mr. Akito?" Tohru asked curiously.  
  
"Akito is the head of the family and he had once said that the Sohmas' secret is not suppose to be revealed to anyone and if it was revealed, the person would have their memories erased to protect the Sohmas' secret from being spread further."  
  
"Oh..." Tohru answered. "But I hope you two will still be my friends after my memories have been erased."  
  
Yuki and Kyo blushed with guilt and embarrassment upon hearing Tohru's words.  
  
"I'll go with you Shigure. I'm sure we can reason things out to Akito and persuade him not to erase Tohru's memories." Yuki courageously said.  
  
Shigure and Yuki immediately set off to the main Sohmas' house where Akito lived.  
  
"You must be shocked, aren't you?" Kyo asked in a unclear voice. "I know it isn't easy to accept the truth that your friend is actually a cat..."  
  
"I'm not afraid, Sohma-san...I'm just surprised." Tohru replied, smiling sweetly at Kyo.  
  
"You can call me Kyo if you want...I don't mind..."Kyo replied with his face flushed.  
  
"Okay, Kyo."  
  
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While Tohru was preparing dinner, Yuki and Shigure had returned with good news. Akito had promised not to erase her memories on behalf of Yuki's persuasion. Akito had always favoured Yuki as the rat was suppose to be special as he was the one who greeted the god, who invited the animals to a party, first.  
  
"Where's Kyo?" Tohru asked as she laid the food on the table.  
  
Yuki and Shigure looked at each other.  
  
"Have you checked the rooftop? As a cat, his favourite spot is the rooftop..." Yuki said as he placed his head on his palm as he took support from the table.  
  
Tohru climbed up the roof using the ladder and unsurprisingly, Kyo was there.  
  
"Kyo, dinner is ready. Come down and join us."  
  
"Nah, I'll skip dinner. I have no appetite." Kyo curtly replied.  
  
Upon seeing the disappointment on Tohru's face, Kyo immediately changed his mind.  
  
"Okay, I'll go down. As long as you smile." Kyo said sheepishly.  
  
On his way down to the dinner table, Kyo suddenly realize that he liked Tohru as a friend, at least better than the first day he met her.  
  
"Honda-san, would you mind me calling you Tohru?" Kyo said, blushing like a tomato.  
  
"Sure!" Tohru grinned widely, feeling overjoyed that the great misunderstanding between them have finally been cleared. 


	6. Chapter 5: Tohru Saved!

Chapter 5: Tohru Saved!  
  
"I don't have any activities going on in the prefects board so I guess I would be going home with you two." Yuki said as they entered their classroom.  
  
As soon as they stepped into the classroom, two groups of girls surrounded Yuki and Kyo.  
  
"What is that all about?" Tohru said out of curiosity.  
  
"You mean you don't know?" Uo said sarcastically. "They are girls from Yuki and Kyo's fan club. They each have one, which is organized by the female seniors of our school. Almost half the population of our girls is in their fan club."  
  
After hearing what Uo said, Tohru was being invited by two of the girls from Yuki and Kyo's fan club for a "heart to heart" chat after school. Being completely ignorant of the disaster in front of her, Tohru agreed instantly.  
  
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The school bell rang and as usual, the class became empty within a minute's time. Other than Yuki, Kyo, Tohru and the two other girls, no one was in class. Tohru told Yuki and Kyo to return home without her as she had an "appointment" with the two girls from their club. Feeling uneasy, Yuki and Kyo tried to talk Tohru out from talking to them privately, but Tohru managed to convince them that no harm would come to her.  
  
Yuki and Kyo finally agreed and left the school compound.  
  
"Are you Tohru Honda?" Said a senior from Yuki's fan club.  
  
Tohru nodded.  
  
"Recently, all of us from both Yuki and Kyo's fan club are feeling very troubled as you are stepping over the line. In short, you are getting too close to the both of them." Senior Motoko said with rage. "If you do not want to bear our wrath, you had better know your limits and leave them, or else..."  
  
Feeling frightened, Tohru dared not reply, as she did not want to lose her two good friends.  
  
Just then, Arisa Uotani and Saki Hanajima were passing by when they saw Tohru being threatened. Being from an all girl gang, Uo had great courage and stepped up to confront them.  
  
"Motoko...as a senior, I'm sure you know that blackmailing is against the school rules, especially when you form a "club" to threaten someone, don't you?"  
  
"Get lost! It's none of your business. How would you know how we feel when our Prince Charming has been snatched away by some evil witch?" Motoko said in a dramatic tone.  
  
"My electric waves are sensing a target..." Hana said.  
  
"It's Hana-chan..." One of the girls said. "The electric girl...she's going to zap us...I've been zapped once and I was not able to sleep for five days...it was frightening..."  
  
"Alright Tohru Honda, you evil witch. You are lucky this time that we have something on now...but you better watch out. You will never get away if we catch you snatch our Yuki and Kyo away from us!" Motoko said with a trembling voice.  
  
In a split second time, the girls dashed out of the class with fear and as they ran past the hall, the three of them in class could still hear their screams.  
  
"Thank you Hana-chan, Uo-chan." Tohru gratefully.  
  
"Don't mention it. As a member of a all girls gang, I have the right to stand up for justice." Uo exaggerated in a humorous manner.  
  
"Honda-san..I'm not used to calling you that...can I call you Tohru? You can hang out with us if you want...we would be able to protect you when you need it. We don't wish you would end up like us in the past as an outcast of the class..." Hana said.  
  
Tohru nodded as she thanked them repeatedly for their great kindness.  
  
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The next day, Tohru spent her recess and lunch with Hana and Uo. When school ended, Tohru told the incident to Yuki and Kyo.  
  
"I'm glad you found yourself friends, Honda-san." Yuki smiled gently.  
  
"Like we're not her friends?" Kyo said sarcastically.  
  
"Of course you are, Sohma-san, Kyo." Tohru replied with her face flushed. 


	7. Chapter 6: Tohru's Admirer

Chapter 6: Tohru's Admirer  
  
"Eh? What's this?" Tohru exclaimed as she saw a suspicious-looking letter in her locker.  
  
She opened it. Behind her was Yuki and Kyo and the three of them were staring at the letter with shock and amusement.  
  
"Oh so you have a secret admirer, huh Tohru?" Kyo said.  
  
"No, no I don't." Tohru replied worriedly. "I think this is a kind of a joke. It must be Hana...she likes teasing me."  
  
"Did the writer add his name onto the letter?" Yuki asked.  
  
Tohru shook her head in distress.  
  
"It just said 'Look for me in the dining hall at lunch, Tohru Darling'" Kyo said mockingly.  
  
Tohru blushed as she truned to Yuki.  
  
"Well, I guess there's no harm meeting this person, so long as we go with you that is." Yuki comforted her.  
  
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The school bell rang and school has ended. The three of them were as usual, the slowest to finish packing their bags and leaving the classroom.  
  
"Don't worry Tohru, we'll be there with you." Kyo said as he gave a slight pat on her head.  
  
On their way towards the dining hall, Tohru felt her heart palpitating like the speed of lightning and felt that it was almost coming out of her mouth.  
  
Finally, they arrived. No one was in the dining hall except for a tall male senior with a rose in his hand, folding his arms seeming to be awaiting someone's arrival.  
  
"Ah, Tohru Darling. You are finally here." The senior said sheepishly as he held out Tohru's hand and placed the rose onto it.  
  
Tohru blushed and tried not to look at the senior in his eyes.  
  
"Did you know that you look so cute when you blush?" The senior said as he lifted Tohru's chin.  
  
"Get your hands off her!" Kyo howled as he could no longer stand it.  
  
"If you don't mind, Senior Atsumi, we have something on and have to leave now." Yuki said threateningly.  
  
"Yes, you may leave. But Tohru Darling stays." Atsumi retorted.  
  
"You're itching for a fight aren't you, Atsumi?" Kyo finally revealed the anger within him that he was trapping inside all along.  
  
Kyo and Atsumi both held out their fists when Yuki stopped them by pushing them apart. Kyo then pulled Tohru gently by the hand and the three left the dining hall, leaving Atsumi feeling completely absurd.  
  
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"Good morning, my Tohru Darling." Atsumi said as he waited for Tohru at her locker.  
  
Tohru turned around and tried to avoid him. However, he appeared in front of her immediately and blocked her path.  
  
"Going somewhere?" Atsumi said with a smug on his face.  
  
"Enough already!" Kyo's voice blasted from behind as he walked towards Atsumi, placing his hand hard on Atsumi's shoulder.  
  
"You are a real pest aren't you, Kyo Sohma?" Atsumi said, feeling vexed at Kyo as he was always spoiling his plans. "Come on Tohru, let's go. Leave this pest here and go to somewhere where we can be alone. I know you like me don't you, Tohru Darling?"  
  
"I'm sorry senior Atsumi...but I don't...I don't like you..." Tohru said and she took cover from Yuki as she saw him coming.  
  
"You've got guts girl! No one ever dares reject me..." Atsumi said with disappointment.  
  
"But at least you showed me that nothing is always so certain. I'm sorry for harassing you these days...I think I've to go now..." Atsumi continued after some thought.  
  
"Poor fellow, isn't he?" Yuki said. "Fancy being rejected by a girl. Won't you look at that."  
  
"Yeah! Serves him right." Kyo added on.  
  
"I'm feeling kind of bad for doing this to him. He is after all quite a nice guy." Tohru said.  
  
"If you're starting to regret you just dumped him, why not go chase him back?" Kyo said sarcastically. 


	8. Chapter 7: Suicide

Chapter 7: Suicide  
  
The mid-year exam results were out.  
  
"Wow! Yuki has topped our class again for the mid-year exams." The girls of their class exclaimed as they saw the results being printed out on the notice board.  
  
Kyo noticed that Tohru had been stuck to her seat with her eyes swollen ever since she saw her results.  
  
"How did you fare?" Kyo asked with concern as he walked towards her seat.  
  
Tohru did not say a word. Instead, she just shook her head.  
  
"Tohru, even if your results are bad, it can't be THAT bad, can it?" Uo said as she saw them in a corner.  
  
Tohru shook her head again. This time, Kyo was starting to get irritated with her wishy-washy actions.  
  
"Well, if you're not going to tell us, how do you expect us to know?" Kyo said to Tohru, staring sternly at her.  
  
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Yuki was working on his report when he heard some banging sounds coming from Tohru's room. As he walked into her room, he saw her banging her head onto the wall and there were bloodstains on her forehead.  
  
"Stop it, Honda-san!" Yuki exclaimed with fear. "Hang on while I inform our Sohma's family doctor."  
  
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"She's going to be alright." Hatori said after examining Tohru's wound.  
  
*Hatori is the family doctor of the Sohma family. He is part of the family and is also cursed by a zodiac animal – the dragon. However, he transforms into a seahorse instead of a dragon when hugged.  
  
"Thank you, Ha." Shigure said as he followed Hatori out of the room.  
  
Kyo and Yuki both walked over to Tohru's bed where she was lying there.  
  
"You fool! It's just a freaking exam for goodness sake! It isn't even going to be counted for our final year exam! Are you so silly that you don't even know how precious life is?" Kyo shouted at Tohru as she was in the midst of consciousness.  
  
"Stop it, you damn cat!" Yuki butt in Kyo's insults.  
  
They both stopped arguing when they saw tears rolling down Tohru's cheeks. Feeling vexed, Kyo stormed his way out of the room. After apologizing to Tohru for Kyo's demeanor, Yuki left the room.  
  
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As Kyo was frustrated by his actions to Tohru, he was unable to sleep and had climbed up to the rooftop. Then, he was alerted by the noises of metals clashing that were coming from the kitchen.  
  
"It's already midnight, how can anyone be doing cooking now? Could it be a thief?" Kyo thought to himself.  
  
Immediately, he jumped off the roof and headed straight for the kitchen. When he switched on the light, he was surprised to see Tohru holding a knife on her hand, trying to cut her own wrist.  
  
Kyo dashed forward and grabbed Tohru's hand and tried to take the knife away. Tohru struggled to snatch the knife back. However, in the midst of the struggling, she had accidentally slit part of Kyo's palm. The fresh blood oozing out from Kyo's hand shocked her and immediately, she dropped the knife.  
  
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry..." Tohru said.  
  
She grabbed the first aid box from one of the cabinets and started helping Kyo to attend to his wound.  
  
"Why do you still want to take your own life?" Kyo asked.  
  
"I feel so useless having to make everyone worry for me. My existence will only be a burden to everyone." Tohru said as she started weeping.  
  
"You silly fool. I'm sorry for using those harsh comments on you just now..." Kyo said regretfully. "If you think your life is worthless, you are wrong. If you die, what would happen to those around you and care for you? What will happen to Uo-chan and Hana-chan? And even m... If you die, wouldn't they be more worried and sad for you?"  
  
After much persuasion, Tohru was finally enlightened and was brought back to her room by Kyo.  
  
"Sleep tight and stop imagining crazy stuff, okay?" Kyo said gently like the tone of Yuki's. 


	9. Chapter 8: Tohru A Thief?

Chapter 8: Tohru – A Thief?  
  
"All students of Kaibara High School please take note. There is currently a case of missing hand phone being reported. If anyone of you happen to know about this or have leads to it, please come to the office now." The principal announced.  
  
"Wow...To think there are actually theft cases in our school?" Kyo said crudely.  
  
"Just don't be a busy body will you, Kyo?" Yuki said.  
  
The school bell rang as the Yuki, Kyo and Tohru walked towards their lockers to get their books.  
  
"Ring...ring..." An unfamiliar ringing tone came from Tohru's locker.  
  
"What is it Tohru?"  
  
"It's a hand phone, you damn cat. And I don't think someone would be so kind as to give Tohru one..." Yuki added.  
  
"How did it get in here?" Tohru mumbled to herself.  
  
"MY PHONE!!!" A scream came from the other side of the lockers area.  
  
Then, followed by Motoko dashing towards Tohru's locker.  
  
"You thief!" Motoko said as she slapped Tohru's right cheek.  
  
"But...but I..." Tohru tried to explain but to no avail.  
  
"You still have the cheek to argue, huh?" A low and serious voice came from the back of Tohru.  
  
"Sensei..." Tohru said as she turned around.  
  
"Is that your hand phone in the locker, Tohru?"  
  
"It's not mine...but..."  
  
"Everyone get back to class. And you Tohru, we'll have a chat outside your classroom."  
  
"Yes, sensei" Tohru said softly.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Class, this theft case has been reported yesterday at 2pm, which means it happened after school. Coincidently, your class had supplementary classes yesterday, am I right?" Sensei's voice echoed the whole classroom.  
  
A few of the students nodded their heads.  
  
"That doesn't make Tohru the thief, does it Yuki?"  
  
"Just keep your mouth shut Kyo."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Now, Tohru...can you tell me why you did it? There are only two of us here. You can tell me who or what made you do this. I know you are a good student and would not resort to this unless you are being forced to."  
  
"But sensei, I didn't do it. Why do you keep assuming I did it?" Tohru said with tears on the verge of trickling down.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Hey wait a minute! Honda-san was with us ever since school ended until our supplementary class was over. If she had committed theft, we would have known!" Yuki suddenly said.  
  
"Yeah! That's right! I bet someone is out to frame Tohru." Kyo added.  
  
"Sensei! Sensei! Honda-san didn't do it! She was being framed!" Yuki screamed as he dashed out of the classroom, followed by Kyo.  
  
"Now boys. I know this news is unbelievable to you. But how do you explain the hand phone found in Tohru's locker?"  
  
"Someone must have place it in there."  
  
"And who do you think it is, Kyo?"  
  
"Come on Yuki. Let's go to Tohru's locker to look for clues."  
  
Kyo and Yuki ran towards Tohru's locker.  
  
"It's easy to guess her password. Most probably it's her favourite number which she always tells everyone about – 02." Kyo chuckled.  
  
Indeed, the locker opened. Inside the locker, they found out that there was a ring that has "Miho" written on it.  
  
"Hey! Isn't that Miho-san's ring? She always flaunts it in class even though it's too big for her and it falls off very easily..." Yuki said.  
  
"I think I know who framed Tohru." Kyo said, as he looked straight at Yuki, "It must have been Miho and Motoko. They've been jealous of Tohru all along and they are out to harm her!"  
  
"Sensei! Sensei!" The boys screamed their way past the corridor towards their teacher.  
  
"We found this ring in Honda-san's locker and her password is unsurprisingly easy to guess. Honda-san was also with us for the whole afternoon yesterday and she couldn't have done it without us noticing." Yuki said intelligently.  
  
"Miho?" Their teacher exclaimed as he saw the name on the ring.  
  
"It MUST have fallen off Miho-san's finger while she was trying to place the hand phone in Tohru's locker." Kyo added.  
  
"Thank you boys. I think I know what to do next. The three of you return to your class." Sensei said warmly, "We'll look deeper into this. But for now....Miho..."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
School has finally ended. As the three walked out of the classroom, they were greeted by the warm smile of their sensei.  
  
"Miho has finally admitted that it were hers and Motoko's doings after we showed her the ring. Tohru, I'm sorry if I scared you this morning. But everything's fine now."  
  
"I'm glad this misunderstanding is finally cleared." Kyo said as he placed both his hands behind his head.  
  
"Thank you so much...I don't know how to thank you two enough..." Tohru said as her beady tears started flowing rapidly.  
  
"You don't have to." Yuki said sweetly as he lifted up Tohru's chin and helped her wipe her tears dry, "Did that slap Motoko-san give you hurt a lot?"  
  
Tohru shook her head as she blushed a little.  
  
"Of course it isn't as painful as the stab I felt in my heart when I saw you being slapped you silly girl..."Kyo said under his breadth as he turned his head away. 


	10. Chapter 9: Tohru's Meet With Akito

Chapter 9: Tohru's Meet With Akito  
  
"Bye Mr. Shigure. Tell the boys I'll be back before noon to make lunch." Tohru waved as she left the house in a hurry.  
  
"That girl...always busy with something..." Shigure sighed.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Good morning, sir." Tohru bowed as she saw her manager walk past her.  
  
"You've been a diligent worker Tohru. I'll promote you when I have the chance."  
  
"Thank you so much sir. But I am satisfied as long as I get to work here."  
  
"Mr. Shinkoku, Mr. Sohma requests for your presence in the meeting." One of Tohru's colleagues said.  
  
"Tell him I'll be there in a minute." Shinkoku nodded.  
  
"Mr. Sohma?" Tohru mumbled to herself.  
  
"Ahh, yes. You've probably never heard of him as he rarely shows up, but he has a share in this company."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Mr. Sohma? Is he one of Sohma-san's relatives too?" Tohru wondered to herself as she was changing back from her uniform to her casual wear.  
  
After changing, Tohru walked towards her locker, deep in thought.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Miss Honda." Tohru heard a faint voice echo behind her.  
  
The voice was gentle yet it sent chills up her spine. Tohru turned around and saw a man wearing a full black outfit. He somehow resembled Yuki except that his eyes were harsher.  
  
"I'm Akito. You've probably heard of me from Shigure, haven't you?" Akito gave a warm smile at Tohru.  
  
Feeling less edgy, Tohru smiled back at Akito and greeted him.  
  
"How do you know who I am?" Tohru asked curiously.  
  
"I happened to be scanning through your company's profile of members and coincidently saw your name and your photo. As you know, Shigure had once told me about you."  
  
"Oh..." Tohru continued placing her things back in the locker.  
  
"Want to go for lunch together??" Akito asked.  
  
"But I..."  
  
"Forget it if you can't!" Akito's voice boomed.  
  
It sounded so threatening and so firm that it gave Tohru a shock and her legs turned wobbly. She took support from the lockers, as she was afraid that her legs might give way because of the shock she suffered.  
  
"I can...but I'll first have to give Mr. Shigure a call..."  
  
"Make it snappy." Akito answered curtly.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Akito." Tohru ran hastily to the phone booth.  
  
"Mr. Shigure, I'm sorry but I can't make lunch for you three as I met Mr. Akito during work and he invited me for lunch. I'm really sorry..."  
  
"It's okay Tohru. You don't have to explain. Enjoy your date with Akito." Shigure mocked.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"I'm done Mr. Akito." Tohru panted heavily.  
  
"That's good cause I'm so hungry that I could eat you up on the spot." Akito said as he moved his face closer to Tohru.  
  
He looked straight into Tohru's eyes with a cold, hard stare. Feeling frightened, Tohru avoided his eyes and changed to subject.  
  
"So where will we have lunch?"  
  
"There's a famous restaurant around the corner. I've been wanting to try it." Akito replied.  
  
On their way from the office to the restaurant, there was a deep silence between Akito and Tohru. The silence was so suffocating and the tension was so great that Tohru felt her heart palpitating with fright.  
  
"Well, here we are." Akito said abruptly.  
  
"Oh...here we are..." Tohru echoed.  
  
"Don't repeat after me. I hate that!"  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
When they entered the restaurant, they were ushered to a two-seat table.  
  
"Would you like to have a set of couple meal? We're having an offer currently." The waitress asked politely.  
  
"Do we look like a couple to you? No, we aren't! Are you blind or something? Why would I want to be this stupid and ugly girl's boyfriend? I have better taste that that you know." Akito suddenly burst out all the rage within him.  
  
Feeling insulted and humiliated in front of the public, Tohru felt that her vision was blurred.  
  
"I'm sorry but I've got to go now." Tohru left the restaurant with teary bloodshot eyes.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Tohru? What are you doing here? I didn't know you come up to the roof as well." Kyo said jokingly.  
  
"Oh...I just have something on in my mind and I feel that I need to be alone. That's why I came up here." Tohru forced a smile on her face.  
  
"You have something on your mind? What is it regarding?"  
  
"No...it's nothing. Don't worry I'll be fine." Tohru replied.  
  
"Well, if you still treat me as your friend you can confide your troubles to me..." Kyo said.  
  
"Of course I treat you as my friend," Tohru said anxiously, "it's just that..."  
  
Upon seeing Kyo's disappointment on his face, Tohru finally gave in and told Kyo about her meet with Akito.  
  
"It's alright Tohru, all of us Sohmas know what Akito is like. He is just too straightforward and sometimes harsh. He always calls me a freak, as my zodiac form is actually an extra portion of the Chinese zodiacs."  
  
"I'm sorry to make you rake up your past Kyo..." Tohru said guiltily.  
  
"It's alright. I'm willing to confide in you as it makes me feel better." Kyo smiled.  
  
"Thanks Kyo..." Tohru she felt hot heavy tears emerging from her eyes.  
  
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Author's reviews:  
  
I know it is quite weird that I add my author's reviews only in Chapter 9, but I felt that I had to apologize for not updating a new chapter for almost a week. I'll try to update the next few chapters as soon as possible. I hope you'll like this chapter. I personally dislike the character of Akito, but he is supposed to be mean and nasty, right? 


	11. Chapter 10: A Sleepover At Hana's

Chapter 10: A Sleepover at Hana's  
  
"Tohru! Are you free this Saturday and Sunday? Would you like to come over to my house for a sleepover? Uo has agreed to come." Hana said as her eyes dilated with excitement.  
  
"I would love to. But first I need to..."  
  
"You need to?" Uo repeated.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing, but I would be able to stay over at your house for a night."  
  
Tohru dared not tell even her closest friends, Hana and Uo, that she was staying with the Sohmas for fear that rumors would spread and trouble would brew.  
  
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"Sohma-san, I won't be at home for tomorrow and Sunday as I would be going to Hana's for a sleepover. Uo will be going as well." Tohru said.  
  
Yuki nodded, as he was deeply engrossed in his report. Tohru left his room and met Kyo in the hallway.  
  
"Kyo, I will be away tomorrow as well as Sunday. Could you cook for Mr. Shigure and Sohma-san when I'm away?"  
  
"Sure Tohru. Enjoy yourself." Kyo said, giving Tohru a smile as he wanted Tohru to enjoy herself, rather than continuously worrying about them.  
  
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"Hello Hana!" Uo and Tohru exclaimed as Hana opened the door.  
  
"Welcome! I'm glad you both could make it in time. Oh and this is my brother, Megumi," Hana said as she pointed to a short figure beside her.  
  
"Ooh Megumi!" Uo ruffled his hair. "You sure look like a big eater. Want to compete and see who can eat the most?"  
  
"Okay!"  
  
So Uo and Megumi entered the dining room while waiting for Hana and Tohru to serve out the dishes. They both sat aside as they watched Uo and Megumi with amusement. After two hours, the two big eaters were stuffed until they could no longer eat another bite.  
  
"That was a good fight, squirt." Uo panted.  
  
Megumi nodded as they all went into Hana's room in the second level.  
  
"Anyone in a game of Millionaire?" Tohru pulled out a pack of cards from her backpack.  
  
All three of them agreed. Three hours passed very quickly and it was getting close to dinnertime.  
  
"Mum, could you inform us when dinner's ready? We're in the midst of a game." Hana said as she screamed through a gap of the door.  
  
"Sure honey."  
  
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After countless games, the four of them went down for dinner.  
  
"Thank you so much for your great hospitality, Mr. And Mrs Hanajima." Tohru politely said as they settled down at the dinner table.  
  
"Don't mention it dearest. You two are good friends of Saki and that is all that matters."  
  
Tohru and Hana nibbled their food slowly while Uo and Megumi were gobbling and munching away.  
  
"Slow down, you two. Don't choke on the food." Mr. Hanajima said.  
  
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"Aww...How I miss our dear Tohru..." Shigure paused as he saw the displeasure on Yuki's and Kyo's face. "Don't look at me like that! I haven't completed my sentence. I just wanted to say I missed Tohru's cooking...that's all."  
  
"You better stop spouting nonsense you stupid dog!"  
  
"Kyo's right Shigure. Your words are just nonsensical."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
When Tohru came out from her sleeping bag, it was already nine in the morning.  
  
"Three more hours before I go home...I wonder how the Mr. Shigure and the boys are coping." Tohru thought to herself.  
  
"Bye Hana, bye Megumi. Thank you so much for inviting us to your house. I had a great time." Tohru waved as she left with Uo.  
  
"Hey Tohru, which route will you be taking? I'll be going west."  
  
"I'll be going north. I guess we will have to part here. I'll call you when I'm home okay Uo?" Tohru smiled. 


	12. Chapter 11: Will I Suffer The Same Fate?

Chapter 11: Will I suffer the same fate?  
  
"Hi Uo!"  
  
"Oh...Hi Tohru..."  
  
"Why do you sound so depressed? Are you troubled?" Tohru patted Uo's head.  
  
Hence, Uo told Tohru about how she confessed to a senior about her feelings for him but was rejected.  
  
"Oh my...don't be discouraged Uo, maybe he is just not the right one for you. It's his loss for making the wrong choice."  
  
"Maybe..." Uo turned away with her eyes fixed onto the tiles of the floor.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Poor Uo...I hope she can get over this as quickly as possible. It won't be nice if this affects her academic work." Tohru thought as she turned her head to look at Uo's dejected face. "But then again, this kind of things are hard to explain. Something are just uncontrollable, especially when it comes to feelings..."  
  
The following lesson was History. Many of the students fell asleep during this period and some who tried to keep themselves awake were constantly yawning away.  
  
Uo passed a note to Tohru and Hana, telling them that her mind was in a swirl then and she was feeling like a total wreck. Despite the consoling Tohru and Hana gave to Uo, she was still depressed.  
  
After school, Hana and Tohru went over to Uo's house. After three whole hours of consoling, the two girls were finally persuaded by Uo that she would not do anything silly and that they could return back to their homes with peace.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"It really is difficult to like a person and hope for that person to like you..." Tohru strolled her way home. "Would that happen to me too? Would I be rejected one day? Would..."  
  
"I'm home!"  
  
"Welcome back, Honda-san. How was your talk with Uo? Is she feeling better?" Yuki said.  
  
"Eh? How did you know about this?"  
  
"The whole school knows. And besides, I'm resourceful." Yuki joked.  
  
"Darn! Now Uo's reputation would be ruined." Tohru said under her breadth.  
  
After washing up, Tohru climbed up the roof, seeming to be overwhelmed by her own thoughts.  
  
"Hi Kyo."  
  
"Let me guess. You're troubled again, right?"  
  
"Well, more or less...people always wish that they could be with the person they like. But it's just so difficult for that to happen..." Tohru's eyes were brimming with her tears.  
  
"You like someone?"  
  
"No...it's not me...it's Uo. Seeing how troubled she was over this matter makes me discouraged too. I'm afraid that someday it would happen to me too."  
  
"Don't worry...if you ever like someone, just tell me. I'll help you." Kyo smiled warmly at Tohru.  
  
"Thank you, Kyo."  
  
"Actually, I kind of feel jealous when I see couples of our age together on the streets. Being part of the cursed Sohmas, I can only look at them with deep envy. Moreover, who would like a cat like me?" Kyo said as he sulked with his head bowed, hoping that Tohru would not see his weak personality.  
  
"If no one would like you, what about the girls of our school? They like you. In fact, when it comes to popularity, I think you are on par with Yuki." Tohru smiled.  
  
"They don't know my real form, a cat. All they see and like is a bishounen* with orange hair."  
  
"Let's not talk about this saddening topic. It's getting kind of late. Come on. Let's return inside."  
  
Tohru's sudden change of topic made Kyo hesitate for a moment. Then he agreed. Feeling that it was the right thing to do, Kyo led Tohru into her room and tucked her into bed.  
  
"Good night..." Kyo's voice faded away as he closed the door. ~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
bishounen: "mei shao nan" which means handsome young man 


	13. Chapter 12: Net Troubles

Chapter 12: Net Troubles  
  
As it was the school holidays, Hana, Uo and Tohru have been surfing the net to spend time. They went into chat rooms to make new friends online. Recently, Uo met this guy online who claimed to be nineteen. The guy's name was Goraikou. Uo sent the Hana's, Tohru's and hers to Goraikou.  
  
"Tohru! You remember that nineteen-year-old guy I told you about? He had seen our pictures and he said he wants to meet us." Uo exclaimed over the phone.  
  
"But Uo, it's dangerous, isn't it?"  
  
"Nah! It's okay if we go together." Uo replied.  
  
"Well, if Hana agrees you can go with her. Just count me out. I don't think I want to go."  
  
"But he has seen your picture and he said he is interested in you."  
  
"Then tell him there is nothing interesting about me." Tohru retorted.  
  
"Tohru! Don't be so mean...just go with us. There's nothing wrong about it. Is there?"  
  
"Well, it may be fine to you. But to me, it's a sin."  
  
"Well, forget it if you don't wish to go. I'll just tell Goraikou that you won't be coming." Uo slammed the phone down.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Feeling frustrated, Tohru shut her laptop down and went downstairs. At the corridor, she met Kyo.  
  
"Kyo, can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Just shoot."  
  
"Uo met this guy online and he wants to meet us after seeing our pictures. Should we go?"  
  
"Sure. Why not?"  
  
Tohru seemed to be startled, as she never knew that Kyo was so easy going.  
  
"I was just kidding." Kyo continued. "Don't go. Let that yankee Uo and that psycho Hana get into trouble themselves. Just tell them you don't want to be involved."  
  
Upon hearing Kyo's advice, Tohru felt emboldened to reject Uo's invitation.  
  
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Two days later, Hana and Tohru went over to Uo's. They brought up the topic about meeting Goraikou but Tohru seemed aloof when they were discussing.  
  
"What's the matter Tohru?" Hana lifted Tohru's chin.  
  
"I'm sorry but I don't want to go."  
  
"Why not?" Hana asked.  
  
"It just doesn't feel right. What if that guy was lying about his age and status?"  
  
"Well, she rejected me over ten times when I asked her Hana. I think she really doesn't want to go. There is no point persuading her. She just won't budge." Uo interrupted.  
  
"If that's the case, then let's go together Uo." Hana continued.  
  
"I'm really sorry." Tohru whispered as she left Uo's abode and returned home.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"I'm back..." Tohru slid the door open.  
  
"Had fun at Uo's?" Yuki asked with concern as he stepped out of the kitchen.  
  
Tohru shook her head and told him about Goraikou and how she nearly fell over with Hana and Uo because she rejected their invitation.  
  
"It's ok Honda-san. At least you did the right thing, and that is what matters."  
  
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Author's reviews:  
  
Sorry for this short chapter but this is sort of like a warning to people about meeting strangers you know online. This situation actually happened and I almost fell over with my friends over this matter. I'm not really sure if they have this kind of things happening in Japan, but I just added it in as I suddenly had the urge to write about this. In case you were wondering did my friends meet that guy, I'm not sure but I was sure they wanted to delay the whole meeting thing. But I still don't want to go. =) 


	14. Chapter 13: On The Way

Chapter 13: On The Way  
  
"Ahh~ It's such a beautiful day. The Sun is shining, the birds are chirping merrily, a perfect day to be at the beach." Shigure started with his "poetic" inspiration again.  
  
"For goodness sake Shigure! It's already nine in the morning so stop daydreaming." Kyo scowled.  
  
"Useless cat. Fancy losing your temper at such an early hour."  
  
"The pot calling the kettle black. You are picking a fight as well you damn rat!"  
  
"It's nice seeing them so energetic on a Saturday morning." Tohru thought to herself as she walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Break it up you two. You are breaking into my concentration." Shigure bit the tip of his pen.  
  
"Forget it! I can't think. I need to relax, seriously. Hmm...we should go to the beach. It's been awhile since we took a break from work." Shigure added.  
  
"You're just looking for an excuse to get away from work, aren't you Shigure?"  
  
"Tsk..tsk..tsk...why do you think of me this way? You're so mean. I'm so nice to invite you all to the beach and this is what I receive? My heart has been shattered into million bite size pieces by you Yuki." Shigure pretended to be dramatic. "Wait a minute while I invite the other members of the Sohma family as well. Do you want to go, Tohru? You'll get to meet the other zodiac members."  
  
Tohru nodded.  
  
"I'm going along. I don't feel easy with you around Shigure." Yuki said crudely.  
  
"Me too. I'm going" Kyo blushed.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Ha! You finally pick my call. You know how much I missed you these few days when you ignored me and did not pick up my calls?" Shigure chuckled.  
  
"What is it now?" Hatori's voice boomed through the speaker.  
  
"You see, I've just had a writer's block and I wanted to spend the day relaxing at the beach. I was thinking whether I could invite some of them to come along with us, and at the same time let them meet Tohru!"  
  
Hatori agreed as the school term was over and they were all given a one month long holiday.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Shigure? Are you at home?" Came a knock at the door.  
  
"Momiji! Haru! And my dearest Ayame and Hatori!" Shigure exclaimed as he attempted to hug Ayame and Hatori.  
  
He was pushed away by Hatori who looked sternly at him and said "No monkey business".  
  
"Tohru! Tohru! Come and meet these members of the Sohma family."  
  
"Ahh?!" Tohru said as her eyes dilated with shock and amusement.  
  
"The cute little blonde boy here is Momiji Sohma, cursed by the rabbit, this punk over here with half black and half while hair here is Hatsuharu Sohma, cursed by the cow." Shigure sniggering. "Ayame here is Yuki's elder brother and he is cursed by the snake. But they are not in good terms though. And as for my handsome Hatori over here, I'm sure you know him by now."  
  
"Hi, I am Tohru Honda and it is a great pleasure for me to meet you." Tohru bowed courteously.  
  
"Alright. We have come to the end of our 'introductory session'. If we do not hurry up, we're going to miss the bus!" Shigure shoved Momiji and Haru out of the door. "Tohru, Yuki, Kyo! Are you three done packing up yet? You better hurry or we'll leave without you."  
  
After all the rushing and the pestering, they finally boarded the bus. On the bus, Momiji, Haru and Ayame started discussing about their lives to Tohru, which caused her to feel overwhelmed. During the discussion, Tohru discovered why Yuki hated Ayame; when they were younger, Yuki needed help and sought his brother's aid but was easily rejected by Ayame. Tohru also caught Yuki and Kyo exchanging merciless glances to each other on their ride.  
  
"That brother of yours had better not do anything to Tohru." Kyo said.  
  
"It's not my fault he's my brother!" Yuki retorted. "You know what Ayame is like. His character is like a clone of Shigure's!"  
  
"Did I hear my name?"  
  
"No, you're just being paranoid." Yuki replied. 


	15. Chapter 14: Cat Hates Water?

Chapter 14: Cat Hates Water?  
  
"We're finally here! After that long and tedious bus ride...oh my...I'm aging. My bones are feeling all sore. I better take a nap at the resort." Shigure groaned.  
  
"Lazy bum!" Kyo shouted as he saw Shigure walking towards the resort, waving his hand merrily at them.  
  
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"Let's go swim Tohru!" Momiji dragged Tohru by the hand.  
  
"I think we better change into our attires before we get caught." Haru said maturely.  
  
"I guess Haru-san is right." Tohru added.  
  
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"Wee!" Momiji jumped into the sea and started swimming frog style.  
  
"A rabbit swimming like a frog. How interesting." Haru said sarcastically before he dived into the water as well.  
  
"Come on in Tohru!"  
  
"I can't swim. I'll just watch here with Kyo. You enjoy yourself Momiji." Tohru's faced glowed with crimson red.  
  
"It's okay Honda-san. You can sit there by the shore, I'll accompany you." Yuki offered his hand to Tohru.  
  
"Thank you Sohma-san." Tohru smiled sweetly at Yuki's kindness.  
  
Kyo stood up beside Tohru and walked away, grumbling.  
  
For the rest of the day, Yuki, Tohru, Haru and Momiji relaxed in the waters while the three "old folks" Ayame, Hatori and Shigure stayed indoors to play with poker cards. As for Kyo, he took Shigure's sun hat and stayed on the roof of the resort "sun bathing", as he watched the others enjoy themselves.  
  
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Even though it ended very quickly and they did not have enough of the water activities, Tohru felt extremely fortunate to be able to enjoy herself like this. However, she noticed that Kyo was not very happy about their trip.  
  
On their way back, Tohru then heard from Shigure that as Kyo was a cat, he hated the water and that was the reason why Kyo did not join them in the fun.  
  
"Poor Kyo." Tohru mumbled.  
  
"What so pitiful about me?"  
  
Tohru turned around and was shocked to see Kyo locking his reddish-orange eyes her, through the gap between the two chairs. Feeling at loss for words, Tohru turned away to avoid Kyo's stare.  
  
"Even though I never went into the sea, I had a great time looking at you guys enjoying yourselves." Kyo comforted Tohru.  
  
For the rest of the journey, Tohru described the atmosphere at sea to Kyo while he shut his eyes as told by Tohru, to imagine the scenery.  
  
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Author's reviews:  
  
Here I am! Reviewing my story out of a sudden again. I just want to say that this is the end of my Riceball Anyone? Part (I) and I'll be updating Part (II) some time later. This is for the convenience of those who don't have the patience to read stories with over 20 chapters. I'm sorry for this short temporary ending chapter. I just wanted to end the story (temporary) with a nice ending, even though this is not very nice after all but it somehow gives me a kind of a nice ending. I don't know about you but this is how I feel. 


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